Shank stiffener



Sept. 13 1.927.

R. DAVIS SHANK STIFFENER Filed May6.- 19,2

' INVENTOR} $0367? Dams.

Patented Sept. 13, 1927. I i

UNITED STATES 1,642,362 PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT DAVIS, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASS IGNOR TO ELCO SHOE MANUFAC-TURERS, ING, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

SHANK STIEFENER.

Application filed May 6, 1926. 'Serial No. 107,160.

This invention relates to a shank stiffener or arch member which is madeof leather and which is connected to the outer sole of a boot or shoe'soas to support the arch and a heel of a foot.

The invention is designed to provide a leather arch member with. a padhaving substantially flat sides and located beneath the heel of the archmember, in order to W give rigidity above the pad to the arch member andto obviate any permanent deformation thereof which may be caused byimperfect or protuberant surfaces on the heel of the foot. y It iswellknown, that when a shoe is worn by a person with a calloused heel,that the leather of the sole underneath the calloused portion graduallybecomes concaved or hollowed causing discomfort to the foot. It is alsoknown that the constant pounding of the heel of a heavy person on therear of the stiffener of-the shoe causes it to prematurely lose itsshape; in other words it stretches transversely causing the upper'towiden and the rear portion of the shoe becomes loose when worn a shorttime thereby sliding up and down. I It is the object of the presentinvention to provide a leather stiffener. by means of which the heel.portion of the shoe. is strengthened, the thickness of the leatherstiffener being gradually increased from the toeof the shoe to the heelthereof thereby stiffening the member where the stress is greatest.

- Another object ofthe invention is to provide'the leather member with aside-extension whereby the arch of the foot is supported and anymovement of the member in the shoe is eliminated.

I Another object of the invention is to pro- -vide the leather memberwith means to permit greater ease of transverse flexure at the forwardpart in advance of the metatarsal I bones of the foot, thus permitting arocking motion from the heel to the forward end of the member when thefoot is in action.

The invention resides more particularly in the novel combinationshereinafter described and claimed, reference being made to theaccompanying drawing, in which i t Fig. 1 represents afvertical sectionof a shoe embodying this invention.

Fi 2 is a bottom perspective view of the shank stiffener.

In the drawing is shown a resilient leather member consisting of a heel.portion and having a forward cut-out portion 6 forming bifurcated ends 7with side notches 8 to permit-transverse fiexure at the forward portionof the member. of the member a spring steel shank 9 is affixed tostiffen the member. The leather member is also provided with a sideextension 10 adapted to fit into the inner side of the arch portion of ashoe. The leather member tapers from its forward end to the rear and itsgreatest thickness is at the heel portion thereof which is subjected tothe greatest stress.

On the underside'of the heel portion of the leather member, a rigid pad12 made of fibre or leather board having a fiat upper and under side isfastened by means of nails 11. I The outline of pad 12 is substantiallythe same as the tread of the heel of a shoe. The pad can be waterproofedwith parafiin or other oily or wax-like substance to eliminate squeakingafter the leather dries.-

lVhen the foot is in motion it constantly On the underside flexes theforward part of the leather member thereby giving more equaldistribution of the weight or applied force.

- The outline of the leather member is shaped to snugly fit into a shoewhich consists of a sole l4 and an upper 15 sewed to the sole as iswell-known. The leather member extends from the heel to the front end ofthe arch and its forward portion is skived so as to produce a smoothjoint free of ridges. The leather. member is preferably arranged on thesole of a turned shoe or pump but it will be understood that it can belocated in a welt shoe. The leather member is fastened to the sole bynailing or cementing it into position and it is covered by a thinleather lining 16 glued or otherwise secured to the I sole and upper.

In the above construction the rigidity ofthe pad keeps part of theleather arch member adjacent thereto in a flat condition and her ispreferably fastened to the sole of the shoe by means of nails 17 passinginto the heel. These nails prevent the leather mem' her from liftingwhen the cement is loosened by perspiration or otherwise. In order tostiffen the member under the arch and at the same time secure it to thesole a pair of rivets or staples 18 inserted in holes 19 are utilized,and they prevent lifting or loosening of the leather member adjacent itsline of flexure.

1. A shank stifi'ener for a shoe comprisin a bendable leather memberhaving an arm portion and a heel portion, the said heel portion having arelatively rigid pad connected to the underside thereof, the said padbeing shorter and narrower than the said heel portion, the arch portionof the said member having a resilient stiffening member connectedthereto, the adjacent ends of the said stiflening member and of the saidpad being portion and a heel 'portion, the said heel por tion having arelatively rigid pad connected to the underside thereof, the archportion of the said member having a resilient stiffening memberconnected thereto, the adjacent ends 'of said stiffening member and ofthe said padv being spaced from each other, the said pad having asubstantially flat surface adj acent the said bendable member and havingsuflieient rigidity to maintain said sub stantially flat surface undernormal use.-

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

ROBERT DAVIS.

